Elena Rybakina beat Leylah Fernandez 6-4 6-3in the second round of the Toray Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo to move within one win away of qualifying for the WTA Finals in Ryadh. Rybakina needs two wins in Tokyo to secure her place in the finals. She can book her spot for Ryadh by reaching the semifinals in Tokyo.
Rybakina will face Viktoria Mboko in the quarter finals
Rybakina has extended her winning streak to five consecutive matches. The Kazakh player avenged her 6-7 (2-7) 7-6 (7-2) defeat against Fernandez in the semifinal of the Mubadala DC Open in Washington.
Rybakina earned the first break in the eighth game to take a 5-3 lead, but she was not able to serve out the opening set, when Fernandez broke straight back in the ninth game. Rybakina broke for the second time in the 10th gam to close out the first set 6-4.
Rybakina broke to love in the second game to race out to a 3-0 lead. The Kazakh player saved three break points in the fifth game before closing out the win on her second match point in the ninth game.
Rybakina fired six aces and converted three of her four break points.
“I’m feeling a bit tired, of course, but ready to make the last push, trying to bring everything from last week to here. Thank you so much for coming and supporting today”, said Rybakina after the match.
This defeat ended Fernandez’s run, which includes her title in Osaka.
